MECHANISM ON CORRUPTION AND APPOINTMENT: MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- The government leadership should have a
mechanism to address corruption involving politicians to ensure that tainted
ones were not appointed to the Cabinet.

Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim said the decision not to appoint someone
involved in misappropriation rested on the wisdom of the Prime Minister.

"I hope this can be done by all quarters with powers to appoint an
administrator in government including ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentary
secretaries and political secretaries," he told reporters after launching an
autobiography by Prof Dr Ismail Ibrahim titled 'From the Village to the
Diplomatic World' here Monday.

The 280-pages book relates the experience of its author during his tenure as
former Malaysian Chief Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2008.

Rais commented on certain quarters who wanted United Malays National
Organisation (Umno) members involved in graft and abuse of powers not to be
appointed as ministers or deputy ministers.

There was no provision for the Umno disciplinary board to force persons
involved in corruption to relinquish posts, said Rais, in relation to
suggestions that Umno members found involved in graft by the board quit their
posts. Umno is the political leading the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.

"They should quit but there is no provision for the board," he said.

Rais said according to international practices when the image of persons
involved in national administration is tarnished by graft usually they would
quit but in this country this issue of integrity had not been very much
practised.

He said only Umno members who were found guilty under the court system would
have to do so.
-- BERNAMA